Gun of Ashes

We are no longer bound by flesh and blood, just as butterflies are not limited by the earth. Human ethics and morals mean nothing to us, and glory and benefits have become wastelands.”

This is where the divinity of the Pioneer lies, no... rather than divinity, this is the reason he lost all his humanity.

He is no longer human, and he can no longer empathize with humans.

The Pioneer smiled and applauded as he spoke.

”You see, didn’t you already know the answer?”

”But... but how is all this connected?”

The Plague Doctor couldn’t understand, Demon, erosion, Spirit Body, void... there were too many questions, even knowing these, the world was still full of doubts.

”Imagine such a being.”

The Pioneer tried to guide them in depicting its appearance.

”It is a void existence, all human cognition, whether it’s rules, ethics, morals, honor, joy, sadness... love, all of it means nothing to it, just void, like... like you’re telling a beast about ’World History.’

Meaningless, right? What it cares about is whether it can fill its stomach in the next meal, understanding something like ’World History’ has no significance to whether it can eat its next meal, it doesn’t need to understand such things.”

The Pioneer was like a playful child, observing everyone’s expressions, hoping their reactions would satisfy him.

”Don’t think beasts are lowly, don’t you find that compared to humans, demons are more perfect beings?

Strong power, resilient body, terrifying pollution and spread, they can rapidly multiply, while humans require ten months of pregnancy, during which there are significant risks...”

”How can they compare to humans?” Lorenzo interrupted the Pioneer’s words.

”Why not? Why do you presume humans are superior?” the Pioneer retorted, ”because you can think, possess wisdom?

Is that important?”

Faced with the Pioneer’s words, sharp-tongued Lorenzo unexpectedly didn’t know where to start.

”What do you think the essence of life is? Holmes, love and peace? Or honor and achievements? None of it is anything, under the dust of time, it all is void.”

The Pioneer comfortably leaned back, his voice slowing.

”The essence of life is continuity, reproduction, the replication of the individual.

The last one standing is the winner.”

The Pioneer placed the spear flat before him, his tone becoming somewhat sorrowful.

”So, that’s roughly it, it might take centuries, or perhaps years, who knows? I might lose all humanity and become that void beast.

It can’t be helped, perhaps ’self’ and ’humanity’ are the shackles limiting us?”

Listening to the Pioneer’s words, Lorenzo only felt his hands and feet turn cold.

Self, wisdom, love, humanity... these things adored by humans could be the truly poisonous venom, only by abandoning them can one enter a greater existence.

Thus become the void beast.

”Yes, that’s the answer, that’s what happened here, noble beings waged war against lowly beings.”

The Pioneer looked around nostalgically.

”Back then I didn’t understand why, clearly, everyone was human... but now the reasoning is clear, do beasts need a reason to feed?”

Lorenzo glimpse the void beasts, running across the sky, leaving trails of erosion, alongside the mutated demons.

Perhaps there truly are gods or demons in this world, perhaps they’re all disguised as demons, or perhaps those void beasts, in any case, all of it is humanity itself.

Or rather... humanity once was.

Lorenzo gazed toward the stars dazedly, mumbling to himself.

”This was never a war between humans and demons.

This was an internal war among humans.”

He looked at the Pioneer.

”Did we win?”

The Pioneer replied.

”The war has never ended.”